Educator and Chartered Accountant (CA) Meenal Goel says that private education has become a financial trap, rather than a privilege. She highlighted the struggles of the middle class, who are quietly breaking down due to soaring school fees, according to a report by Business Today.
Goel’s LinkedIn post and video clip strips the private schools of their sheen. She breaks down the fee structure: Rs 35,000 for admission, Rs 1.4 lakh in tuition, Rs 38,000 in annual charges, Rs 44,000 - Rs 73,000 for transport, and Rs 20,000 - Rs 30,000 for books and uniforms. In total, it adds up to Rs 2.5 - Rs 3.5 lakh per child, per year.
She said, “Mid-tier schools start at Rs 1 lakh. Elite schools easily top Rs 4 lakh”. A parent in Hyderabad allegedly spent Rs 6,903 solely on fifth-grade textbooks, purchased from a school-approved vendor where discounts were not permitted.
India’s average annual income is Rs 4.4 lakh. Goel wrote, “We talk about healthcare inflation, but education inflation is the silent middle-class killer”. Fintech firms now provide EMIs for school fees. Fintech companies now offer EMIs for school fees – treating education on par with home loans.
But public schools aren’t a viable option, she argues. “There are 8 lakh vacant teacher positions. In UP alone, 5,000 schools have just one teacher.”
A Delhi government survey revealed that 70% of sixth-grade students in state-run schools are unable to read a simple paragraph.
The infrastructure paints a bleak picture: 1 lakh schools lack electricity, 46,000 schools are without toilets, and 39,000 schools lack access to drinking water. India allocates only 4.6% of its GDP to education; far below the recommended 6%.
Private schools, though legally required to function as non-profits, often exploit loopholes. Owners lease properties to their own institutions through shell companies, charging exaggerated rents and shifting the burden to parents. “They avoid taxes and still make crores,” Goel explained.
Despite being the backbone of the system, teachers remain underpaid. “Private school teachers earn 40–50% less than their government counterparts,” she said. Yet parents are billed for “quality” — including swimming pool fees, annual day charges, and even air conditioning usage.
The stress isn’t just financial. Goel also pointed to disturbing cases where children were shamed for unpaid fees; “denied food, isolated, and guarded by bouncers.”
